New Canadian Passport Rules

So has anyone been applying for a new passport lately?

It's amazing the line ups here at the victoria passport office. I've tried twice to get a passport and each time been turned away because the lines were so long. People have been coming in from all over the place to apply and it's still not happening. I met a guy who had to get there at 2 am to get through.

Anyways, I need a new passport so I might try getting up at 5 AM and heading over. We'll see if I don't just shut off the alarm clock

Anyone else going crazy trying to get a passport?

Good luck Matt!

I can't imagine what its like trying to get a passport now. When I got my a few years ago, I had to wait in line for 4 hours in Toronto and I thought *that* was a nightmare. Nothing compared to what you have to do.

Though I have to say, I don't feel to sorry for these people who are leaving the country next week and haven't bothered to get their passports before now despite being told over and over for the past year that this new policy would take effect. Silly silly people.

Well I didn't make it.

I slept horribly and by 5 am felt like i hadn't slept at all. And then realized I also have a noon appointment and probably would still be in line at that time.

So I skipped it today, but I might try stopping by towards the end of the day and seeing how it goes. A friend of mine got lucky and went at 3 PM and was out by 4PM last week. If not, then I'll definitely be there early in the AM tomorrow!

4 Hours in Toronto? Was this at a 'normal' time? Crazy.

Matt- the thought of having to get up for 5am would mean that I wouldnt sleep the night before! I can see why you felt miserable!

(Ya- that was *normal* in Toronto)

Yeah. What's most annoying is that my passport is still valid for another two years - But it's full!

I'm planning on going to Russia and China over a month / 6 weeks this summer with my girlfriend and we need to start applying for visas too.

I've heard you can pay extra to get your passport expedited, have you heard anything about that?

I think you can if you mail it in yeah.

"Normal" waits in any of the Toronto passport offices are 4+ hours. Both times I've had to get a new passport I just take an afternoon off work and take a good book with me. Its just nuts.

There's a new office though out in Whitby or Oshawa er summat now though so apparently the wait there isn't as bad. Or wasn't before the rush anyhow.

My family *sitll* has not got their passports, despite me bugging and reminding them for the past 2 freakin year :rolleyes: So I guess if I want to see family I'll have to go there

LOL Matt- I REALLY don't feel sorry for you that you have managed to fill up your passport!

I only have stamps from the good old US of A in my passport as I use my Dutch one to travel in Europe and "they" don't stamp it if you are travelling between EU countries.

Lol, I seem to be getting that a lot lately

It's only full from living in Hungary where they stamp for everything. Big on stamping, those eastern europeans. For example on a night train to Krakow and back I got six stamps from 3 countries. Fills up the pages quick!

So anyways, no success on getting the passport yet. I tried calling their phone number but of course it's constantly busy. You'd think we live in russia or something, with lines like these.

They say on the website if you mail your passport application in, it will take two months. I don't think I can wait that long unfortunately, but I might have to.

I'll have yet another drive by today and check out the lines.

If you have a second nationality, it is advisable to use the passport of a second nationality especially if it is not from a developing country, ie. USA. Those who are US dual nationals should be considerate of those standing in line who have only Canadian nationality and need that passport. To go to the USA, you can use a passport of a country such as Japan or PRC passport, if you also have a Canadian citizenship card also. So do not line up needlessly to go to the USA to make a passport as showing your Canadian citizenship card with your passport from a second country is sufficient.

So I bit the bullet and got up at 5 AM to head to the passport office here in Victoria.

I looked into going to Vancouver's passport office but heard the lines were just as long.

Got into the line at around 5:30 AM and it was already almost around the block. Sat in my chair and froze for a little while (should have brought a blanket). Got to talking to the other people in line who almost all had been in lineups the previous days and didn't get in. One guy had been there since 8 AM and still didn't get through by 4:30 PM.

Finally at around 7:45 the line started moving as people were let into the building. Then a crappy local radio station (KOOL fm. It's just not cool to spell cool unless you put a 'k' in it) shows up and started blaring Shania Twain. Isn't freezing outside in the early morning torture enough?

So after we heckled the radio station, the line moved up some more. At least the radio gave some people free coffee. Though most agreed they'd rather trade the coffee to turn off their music.

8:30 and the office officially opens, so the line moves up more. A woman comes around and hands everyone tickets, which don't seem to mean anything. I asked the woman "So does this mean I can leave and get breakfast, come back, and my place in line is still good?" - "No".

So what the point of the numbers are I don't know. But then a few minutes later a guy comes over and says "Hey, I'm at the front of the line but I have to leave. I'll sell you my spot for $50"

So I give him $40 and we call it a deal. I get into the elevator right away, up into the office, and 20 minutes later I'm done. Definitely the best $40 I've spent in a while. Apparently the woman in front of me paid someone $100 to get to the front of the line.

Another guy had paid a bum the night before since he was sleeping on the street anyays.Just asked him to sleep in front of the passport office. But when he showed up in the morning, the bum was gone. No big surprise!

Anyways so my passport adventure is over, for hopefully another 5 years. I paid the extra $5 for the fatter passport so I don't have to worry about this again.